PSI-36 Effect of short-chain fructooligosaccharides on Trolox equivalent antioxidant capacity and thiobarbituric acid reactive substances in mature and senior stock-type horses

Abstract

Oxidative stress (OS) causes health complications through the destruction of cellular components as individuals age. Reactive oxygen species are used to measure OS through Trolox equivalent antioxidant capacity (TEAC) and thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS). Other prebiotics have been used to reduce OS markers in numerous species; however, the effect of short-chain fructooligosaccharides (scFOS) on OS has not been studied in the horse. Ten healthy stock-type horses were blocked by age into 2 groups: mature (MA; n = 5; 7.0 ± 0.87 yr) and senior (SR; n = 5; 22.6 ± 1.1 yr) to analyze effects of scFOS on TEAC and TBARS. Horses were randomly assigned to 1 of 3 diets for 25 d before transition to another diet. Diets were bermudagrass hay offered at 1.5% BW/d hay as-fed, hay with a ration balancer (CON), or hay with a ration balancer and scFOS added at a rate of 2.5 g/kg (PRE). Prior to a total fecal collection for an alternate study, horses were fasted overnight for 8 h with blood samples taken immediately prior to feeding (0), 30, and 60 min postprandial. Oxidative stress markers were analyzed for the 2 ration balancer diets. Statistical analysis was performed with SAS using the MIXED procedure with horse within diet as a random effect with significance of P ≤ 0.05. Trolox equivalent antioxidant capacity was unaffected by diet (P = 0.827) or age (P = 0.347). Time (P = 0.006) was significant for TBARS which increased postprandial regardless of treatment or age. Consistent with other species, higher levels of OS was found in SR compared to MA regardless of time or diet (P = 0.037; 4.491 µM vs. 3.412 µM TBARS, respectively). These results indicate that scFOS do not seem to be effective in reducing OS in SR and MA horses.